When recovering from illness or fighting disease, our appetite tends to plummet and we often don't feel like eating. But because our body is working harder than normal to help fight infection, we need to maintain our energy levels by eating more calories and nutritional foods than usual. In many cases, when we are recovering from an invasive or challenging illness, it’s hard for us to digest some foods and we often feel as though we really can’t face trying.

What do we need to build up our strength? Vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, hydration, protein!
We need to boost our vitamin levels when we’re sick. Nutrients like Vitamin C help your immune system recover after battling an illness. This clever little vitamin stimulates production of white blood cells and is a potent antioxidant that helps protect your cells from damage.

The vitamin B family is a very friendly and affectionate one who plays an important role in keeping our bodies happy, bouncy and energetic. They are like a little train that travels around our body, picking up our food and converting it into fuel, allowing us to stay energized throughout the day. Whilst most B vitamins are big ole team players, they also each have their own unique qualities. From helping the body make healthy new cells, fighting stress, protecting the immune system, giving our bodies oxygen, fighting free radicals (nasty particles in the body that damage cells, such as toxins) and helping to prevent early ageing and development of heart disease. The vitamin B family is a major player in mood and sleep patterns (really important when recuperating from a challenging illness) because they help the body produce serotonin, melatonin and norepinephrine, a stress hormone. They can also benefit people with rheumatoid arthritis.

Energy levels can fall dramatically during illness, so it’s important to maintain carbohydrate levels, which help provide your body with the fuel it needs to recover quickly. Carbohydrates not only boost your energy levels, but help prevent depression or feelings of lethargy. If your carbohydrate levels are low, your body and brain will lack energy and it may take longer to recover from illness.
It is so important to drink lots of lovely water and other quality fluids during and after illness. Dehydration can make you tired, weak, light-headed and nauseas. You may lose fluids if you have periods of diarrhoea and vomiting, which makes it doubly important to rehydrate. We should really take in about 2.5 to 3.5 litres of water every day, but this amount can also come from foods that contain water.

Protein is essential for building and repairing things. Your organs, muscles, skin, hair, nails, bones and certain hormones are all made up of some amount of protein. When your body is exposed to potentially harmful substances, such as bacteria or a virus, your immune system sends out proteins called antibodies. These antibodies seek out and attack the virus or bacterium in an attempt to neutralise it and prevent it from multiplying.

So, how on earth do you incorporate all of these valuable things into your diet, especially when you really don’t feel like eating?! The thought of having to think about how to begin is just far too overwhelming. You will also be worrying about how to get the level of protein needed to recover, when it’s so hard to digest obvious proteins like meat.

This is where Natures Kitchen come in!

We’ve designed a range of foods that will tempt your appetite. The dishes are light, easy to digest and gently enhanced with valuable vitamins and proteins essential for your recovery.